FIRST READING
“We who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. ”
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 10:14-22)
My beloved, shun the worship of idols. I speak as to sensible men; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider the practice of Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is any- thing? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You can- not partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 116: 12-13.17-1 8 (R. 17a)
R/. A thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.
How can I repay the Low
for all his goodness to me?
The cup of salvation I will raise;
I will call on the name of the Lord. R/.
R/. A thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make;
I will call on the name of the Lord.
My vows to the Low I will fulfil
before all his people. R/.
ALLELUIA John 14:23
Alleluia. If a man loves me, he will keep my word, says the Lord; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“Why do you call me ’Lord, Lord, ’and not do what I tell you? ”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 6:43-49)
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure produces evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord, ’ and not do what I tell you? Every one who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep, and laid the foundation upon rock; and when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But he who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation; against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
A house built on a rock will stand the test of time and resist the force of the wind. Rock, in the language of the bible, indicates the steady assurance of God’s presence. The Lord uses the metaphor of a rock to describe one who listens to his word and obeys. Such will never compromise, against all odds he/she will remain firm and faithful. Such is not carried away by trends and the boundless fancies of the world around him. With patient endurance they remain faithful followers and friends of the Lord and bear fruits of love, humility and joy.